The present invention relates to a mechanism installed in a printer for feeding a printing ribbon in unison with the movement of a carriage.
A prior art ribbon feed mechanism of the type described uses an exclusive drive motor for ribbon feed built in a carriage on which a ribbon cassette is mounted. Another prior art mechanism drives a ribbon utilizing reciprocating movement of the carriage. The drive motor type mechanism, however, disadvantageously increases the total weight of the carriage and results in an expensive construction. The carriage-aided type mechanism, on the other hand, is incapable of developing the necessary drive force unless a one-way clutch or a drive gear is used. Such not only renders the ribbon feed mechanism intricate but adds to the cost and, in addition, causes ribbon feed even when it is needless such as during tabulated movement or return movement of the carriage.